Help Brett's Family Reclaim Their Home

Brett and Baylie Monson are my brother and sister-in-law and they have been living in a nightmare for the past year. I (Brett’s sister) have taken it upon myself to raise money on their behalf to help them reclaim their home. 

Last April, Brett and Baylie bought a home in Lehi to be closer to Brett’s work and their kid’s cousins. Less than a month later of living in their new home, Baylie started experiencing severe allergic reactions—full-body hives, swollen lips, and anaphylaxis. She ended up in the ER multiple times, carrying an EpiPen because her throat would swell just from touching things in their home.

Other symptoms were trouble breathing, nerve pain, heart palpitations, extreme heart burn, bone pain, and swollen lymph nodes. When they discovered toxic black mold, they relocated immediately. Around the same time, Baylie was diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer. Her oncologist confirmed that when your immune system is overloaded, it struggles to fight off underlying conditions. Thankfully, they caught it early and removed it, but it’s something that affects future family planning for them.

They remediated and felt better over the summer with the dry climate, but as soon as the weather shifted, Brett’s health crashed. He now struggles with chronic pain, brain fog, memory loss, and mobility issues. He was recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, which has already started causing permanent damage to his extremities.

Their son, River, who already has immune issues, developed recurring strep infections and was diagnosed with PANDAS, which is common in kids with mold exposure. He also experiences nosebleeds, numb legs, stomach aches, bone pain, confusion, and headaches.

They have all experienced inflammation, fatigue, sensory sensitivity, nausea, headaches, mood swings (aka “mold rage”), vision decline, skin rashes and itchiness, and even personality shifts.

They have recently retested their home and found four toxic mold strains at unsafe levels:

• Aspergillus is a known carcinogen that can cause respiratory infections, immune suppression, and neurological issues.

• Chaetomium produces mycotoxins linked to DNA damage, cancer, and neurological effects.

• Stachybotrys produces toxins that can impact respiratory health, immune function, and cognitive function.

• Wallemia sebi – A highly toxic mold linked to allergies, respiratory issues, and immune suppression.

One of the hardest parts has been the lack of awareness and resources. Despite tons of research, Western medicine hasn’t fully recognized how toxic mold impacts health. Many doctors dismissed their symptoms as unrelated but also couldn’t help relieve them. To not be believed about what they were/are going through has been disheartening. They had to find mold-literate specialists—most not covered by insurance.

There’s also little legal protection for homeowners dealing with this, and most home insurance policies don’t cover mold damage. They’ve already gone through two remediation attempts, temporarily relocated multiple times, and spent a fortune on medical bills.

Now, they're bringing in a specialist to locate hidden mold and have been advised to replace all porous furniture. The financial and emotional toll has been overwhelming. We're reaching out to those willing to help Brett and Baylie bear the financial load that will come with making their home safe, mold-free and livable. Their family is ready to heal and find some normalcy again. Anything helps and is immensely appreciated.